


Turn The Page

by BranHowe



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gabriel gets to walk some dogs, M/M, Reading, Slice of Life, so I count it as a win
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-31 08:07:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20789744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BranHowe/pseuds/BranHowe
Summary: Michael had been defeated, the earth was safe, everyone was happy in the bunker. Apparently.





	Turn The Page

**Author's Note:**

> Turn The Page
> 
> Written for the DebrielCC Round 6 at [Tumblr](https://debrielcc.tumblr.com/)  
Theme: Daily Life, Prompt: Reading

Despite still showing a lot of aspects of youth, Dean’s hands are strong and masculine. There’s nothing talking about delicacy in them whenever he holds a gun or swings a knife against a monster. His arms are perfectly toned behind all that oversized flannel and the still slightly chubby cheeks and his eyes are sharp and attentive like a true hunter’s should always be. As a matter of fact, there is nothing about Dean that could speak of weakness whenever he hunts. But he is not hunting now.

Dean is reading a book. He is reading The Hobbit and he is reading it again for the twenty second time. The reason is simple, he’s at the library waiting for his brother to get out of school and this is the only book he knows short enough that won’t keep him wanting to read more.

Even then, he always wants to read more. 

But not today, today he had to do some research while his father is at a hunt four towns from here, which is why he skipped class, which is why he is reading The Hobbit now, waiting for Sam to get out of school to pick him up and go back to the motel.

“Maybe you should try reading something more appropriate for a person your age.” The librarian tells him with a seemingly mocking tone that after three weeks of interaction Dean is able to catalogue as playful. He likes the librarian, she’s an old lady but she’s lively and, more importantly, she doesn’t meddle in his life. Has never asked him if he should be at school or worse, tried to kick him out or call social services. She only takes what he gives her and gives as much as he wants to get. She’s wise. Dean decides.

“I don’t always have time.” Answers the boy with a shrug.

She gives him a warm smile. “Well then maybe you need a book that you can take out.”

Dean is about to complain, he already explained to her that he’s not going to stay long enough for a library card but she insists every time he’s there. He thought he was going to go back to the bickering today once more before she motioned him to get closer to her at the desk. He complied and saw her take out an almost brand new book from her purse while he approached her.

“Here.” 

Dean looks at the title, Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut. He looks at the woman in front of him. 

“Is this..?”

She smiles. “It’s for you.”

Before he can try to give it back, she presses it against his chest with more strength than what he would have expected of the old lady.

“Don’t even think of saying anything. My husband gave me a full set with the entire Vonnegut collection, this poor thing doesn’t need to gather dust forgotten in a corner at my house.”

Dean clearly felt his ears burn while he looks down at the book once more, he had never received a gift of this kind before. The words left his throat in a low, raspy tremor. 

“Thank you.”

The woman smiles brightly at the young lad and beckons him back to his seat. The one below the window he began to favor after the first week in town. Before he leaves to pick Sam up that day the woman stops him. 

“I have two other books if you want them. You only need to say.”

Dean feels himself blushing once more but smiles widely feeling a warmth in his chest he had never felt before. “Yes Ma’am, thank you.” 

In the end he took the other two books. He had a terrible time trying to decide whether it was okay or not to actually ask for them even when she had told him it was alright. What surprisingly helped him make the final decision was his father. Sam was already asleep and he was cleaning the guns, always under his father’s instructions. He could do it blindfolded by now but John was strict about it. He took a glance at the boy’s school bag. It wasn’t like he was hiding anything in it, on the contrary, John looked at it because it was wide open and he saw the book and took it.

“Kurt Vonnegut?”

Dean blushed. “Yeah.”

His father chuckled and opened it up. Dean couldn’t help looking towards John surprised. He almost never smiled, let alone chuckle and somehow his eyes had gone soft and warm passing the pages and when he looked at Dean it made Dean feel like he was being seen by his father for the first time in years.

“You know, your mother loved to read Vonnegut as well.”

“...She did?”

“Yep, she loved him. Her favorite was Cat’s Cradle. You should read it.”

Dean’s eyes shimmered when he smiled. “I will!”

And just like that, Dean asked the librarian for the other two books the following day. She already had them at hand on the drawer beneath the desk.

“I knew you’d come back for them.” The woman beamed at him.

For many years he kept the books. All three of them. He lost one when their car was crushed by the demon in the truck and he landed at death's lap but the other two had been at Bobby’s house in a box along with some others he had picked up along the road and couldn’t leave behind. This was what he preferred to do, he only held the book he could have by his side while reading and then dropped it at the next library or passed it on to anyone showing interest on it. 

When they found the bunker, he brought his box inside and gave a cozy corner to Vonnegut, Tolkien, Herbert, Simmons and some more in his nest. He also kept the first Harry Potter book he gifted Sam. He picked it up when the younger lad threw it away complaining that he was no longer a child. He was still wondering whether to give it back or never tell him about it and keep it for himself.

There were still not so many books but they all had a place in Dean’s heart, and that was what really mattered.

Today is time to tackle something different though. Something that had been circling around his mind ever since Gabriel came once more into their lives and decided to stay in the bunker with them. He had been given a room and he was apparently content with that, given that the other option was to peddle outside looking for a safe place each night where no demi-god or god could hunt him while his grace levels were still low. But Dean could see the archangel was still not feeling at home.

Dean sighed. He shouldn’t be bothered by it. He did not want to be bothered by it but he couldn’t help it. When he was not interacting with them, Dean could always find the archangel's eyes fixed at the tv with a blank stare. Completely unaware from whatever was happening around him. And Dean _knew_, he knew that what was really happening was that Gabriel was there in body but not in mind and he hated the idea of being so close to someone and yet so far away. It was almost like they had kept the archangel's body but had been unable to save the man inside.

Dean was scared. He was scared of what was going on through Gabriel’s mind and what he would end up doing if he stayed away from them. And maybe he had no real background to think this way but he knew the feeling of being carried away by your demons and feeling like nothing was worth doing or living for and he was scared. For him or for Gabriel, he truly couldn’t tell.

So he did the only thing he knew how to do.

Gabriel was looking at the screen, mind far away from the documentary of the Prohibition Era that he randomly clicked on when he felt something placed over his arm. He was pulled back from his mind into reality to look at the thing. The book. He looked at it and then his eyes followed the path marked by Dean’s arm into his face to look at him.

“Here. Read this.”

Gabriel looked down at the book again and took it, unsure of what the hunter was trying to accomplish with this.

“Why would I ever read this?”

“Have you read it before?”

“No”

“Then read it.”

Gabriel looked at Dean in doubt but didn’t do much to stop him from turning off the tv while he opened the first page. He didn’t understand the hunter’s mind most of the time despite being the one he usually felt more related to on a superficial level. Alcohol, food, sex; all those kind of things were what helped them stick together, specially when their corresponding brothers began to get fed of them but some other days things like this made him feel quite uncomfortable regarding the hunter. Because Dean was smart, so much smarter than what he looked and he was kind and honest and stuck to his word. A truly righteous man. And Gabriel, whom had run away from trouble and responsibility time and again felt so small and insignificant when compared to him that he tried his best not to bring those differences up at all. 

He gave a glance at the title and, uncertain of what kind of gods America could ever have, he opened the book and began to read. 

Like any angel, Gabriel could read fast but there was no fun or point in that. Dean had asked him to read that book in particular and he was certain there had to be a reason why because he knew for a fact that this wasn’t Dean’s favorite book. That was the Lord of the Rings and this story had absolutely nothing to do with cursed rings or evil warlocks although there were plenty of coin tricks.

So he read and read for hours and he followed the story of Shadow and Wednesday with the same kind of wandering interest of someone that heard their name called out on the street only for them to find out they were addressing somebody else.

But there were still gods and tricksters and maybe that was why Dean had chosen that book for him. Nevertheless, he kept on reading. It took him almost the entire night but by breakfast he had already finished it. He closed the book and sighed. It had been ages since he had felt so absorbed by somebody else’s life, let alone a fictional one. He stood up and stretched and walked away from his couch and into the kitchen, where Dean was doing the dishes.

“Morning.”

“Hey, you missed breakfast.”

Gabriel shrugged, both men knew Gabriel only ate because he could, not because he needed to but he was still always there when the food looked promising. He leant against the counter and watched Dean for a while.

“I read the book.”

Dean glanced at him and went back to drying the plates.

“...And?”

“Eh… I liked it.”

“Thought you would, _Low Key_.”

Gabriel snorted softly and sighed after a while. He didn’t know what Dean was expecting of him but he knew he hadn’t given him what he wanted yet.

“...it was a little underwhelming though.”

“Meaning?”

“I dunno, I kind of expected some sort of happily ever after but it all went back to where it was before, minus the normal life.”

“Eh, I don’t really think that’s the case.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean...” Dean finished putting the plates back in their place and turned to face Gabriel. “That the world seemed to be back where it was, but all of the problems that had been created by the gods were erased.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened in comprehension. “They turned the page, went for a blank slate.” 

Dean gave him a knowing smile and approached him.

“And I mean, if they can do that, maybe some of our gods can do the same and turn the page, right?”

It had just been a soft push with his fist on Gabriel’s chest but Dean’s action and his overly saturated green eyes fixed on him shattered Gabriel’s world when realization finally hit him. Dean had been worried about him, about his absence from real life. And he had been right. Gabriel had felt like he didn’t belong, like there was nothing else stored in life for him and that he was just a remaining piece of the old book that no one bothered to properly put in the thrash. He felt a prickle on his eyes and did his best to hold the tears back but when he spoke his voice betrayed him and cracked just a shard.

“Yeah, you’re right.” 

Vulnerability, Gabriel hated that word. Or at least he hated it when it came to himself. He couldn’t be vulnerable, not when he was one of the most powerful beings in the known universe. Not when he was supposed to be over the rest. And yet every single time he had to face this caring side of Dean this is how he felt. Vulnerable. He felt like Dean could crack up his snarky facade with a snap and force him to show the sad, pathetic thing he really was. And he hated it. But at the same time he realized that showing his true self was the only way Dean would actually take him in at all.

He turned to look at Dean, who was already walking away from the kitchen now that he was done there and stopped him, calling out his name. Dean turned around to see Gabriel hesitantly approaching him in a manner he had never seen from the archangel before. It was almost like he was afraid Dean would reject him. He frowned, worried about his friend. Once in front of him, Gabriel stared into his eyes for a second and then hugged him.

“Thanks Dean.”

Dean held his breath for a moment, Gabriel’s voice was trembling and so were his arms. Dean seized Gabriel’s shoulders a bit alarmed by the sudden proximity of the guy that was never seen close to anyone unless it meant that he was gonna get laid.

“No problem.”

They suddenly heard a shuffle of feet getting closer and Gabriel pulled back ten times faster than what it took him to get close to Dean. A second later, Sam came into the room and found his brother alone, standing in the middle of the room. 

“Oh, there you are, I’ve found us a case.”

\---

Sam felt more than saw Gabriel shuffling once more on the chair to his right. He had been fiddling around him all day long and he was getting frustrated by now. Loudly, he placed his book over the table and sighed.

“What?” 

“Huh?”

“What is it Gabriel? There’s something you want to ask, right?”

Gabriel opened his mouth to retort but thought it better and shut it back to reconsider his words. After a few moments where Sam clearly saw him measuring them he spoke. 

“Dean’s birthday is coming.”

“So?”

“I… I don’t know what I should give him as a gift.”

Sam raised his eyebrows. He would have never pegged the guy for someone who cared about those things. He looked aside considering Gabriel’s words.

“Well, I generally take him out to get a nice burger and some pie.”

“But that’s your plan for the day, I cannot try to do the same.” He complained a bit annoyed.

“Uh, I dunno. He generally never expects anything which is quite annoying but you know how he is… What were you thinking about?”

“I uh...” Gabriel fiddled much to Sam’s surprise, he wasn’t used to looking at the archangel so hesitant. “I wanted to give him a book.”

“Oh...” Sam began to consider until he remembered something. “I know! The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury.”

“You think he’s gonna like it?”

“Well, he used to have it but he lost it and never bought it back. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna be happy to have a copy again.”

Gabriel nodded considering Sam’s words and then smiled. “Thanks Sasquatch. I owe you one.”

Sam raised his eyebrows once more while Gabriel flapped his wings disappearing from his sight. He was sure the archangel had left to get the mentioned book although through which mediums he was going to obtain it considering he didn’t just snap it into existence, he wasn’t really sure he wanted to know.

Castiel on the other hand, knew. He had been forced to help his brother forge a new identity as Jimmy Novak’s brother despite the original not having any siblings at all and finding him a part-time job at the next town’s animal shelter walking the dogs. He was not going to earn such a huge amount of money in three weeks but it would be more than enough to get Dean’s present since he didn’t have to spend any of it like a normal human being. Once Gabriel had been hired and they were outside the shelter Castiel couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“Why are you doing this Gabriel?”

“Well, I like dogs.”

“No, I mean, all of this. Why are you suddenly looking for a job, you don’t even need money to buy anything and you had been saying your grace levels were still low, are you not afraid to be found by anyone?”

Gabriel sighed and sank further into the car’s seat weighing his answer. “It’s been six months already since we defeated Michael Cas, I’m not that low in grace anymore. To be honest I was right on my way to becoming a recluse and it kinda scares me that if it weren’t for… Anyways I cannot be cooped up anymore, I need to see other people and places.”

Castiel nodded. “So this has nothing to do with getting Dean a present.”

“Well, there’s that as well.” Damn that Samuel, Gabriel wondered what other things he apparently shared with Castiel a bit annoyed. “But I won’t stop coming after Dean’s birthday. I cannot do that to the dogs.”

“...You know Heaven—”

“Don’t talk about Heaven Castiel, not yet. Please.”

Castiel sighed, at first Gabriel had been okay with helping Heaven until he was nearly killed by the other Michael and he became a shut in at the bunker. Something about their battle may have stirred something heavily inside because he was the only angel Gabriel allowed in the nearest vicinity at all times now. 

“Alright, I can bring you over if you don’t feel like using your wings. I’m always happy to help you.”

“Thanks Castiel”

“...Cas”

“Huh?”

“You can call me Cas.”

Gabriel stared at him for a bit too long. “Cas.”

Castiel smiled softly. It wasn’t that he disliked Gabriel calling him by his full name but throughout the years he had become used to the nickname as an endearment and he wished Gabriel would be able to believe they could be close as a family as well.

“Have you seen Gabriel? It’s been five days since he doesn’t show up for breakfast.”

“You’re worried about him?”

“What? Of course not! I just happened to wonder, that’s all.”

Sam and Castiel turned to look at each other with a knowing look. Sam had asked Castiel already after he didn’t find the archangel cooped up in the Dean-cave for two consecutive days but only received and enigmatic answer and realized Castiel was not going to snitch on Gabriel. Since at least Castiel knew where he was, he left it at that.

Gabriel, meanwhile, was walking three huskies, a pitbull, a corgi and five mix breeds that looked like shepherds. He loved them and they loved him, which the people at the shelter thought of as a miracle considering they had gone through very bad experiences with humans. Gabriel and the dogs knew best but he was not going to be the one to out himself to everyone as a supernatural being.

After the walk he took them to the dog park and waited for them to run around before calling them back. He was joining the leash to their collars, each dog patiently waiting for their turn when a girl approached him. 

“Dear Lord, I honestly can’t believe you’re able to herd so many dogs at the same time. It’s like you have them under a charm.”

It was a pretty girl but Gabriel, who would have jumped at her right there given other circumstances, only smiled warmly and engaged in friendly conversation.

“It’s easy when they know you’re the leader of the pack.”

“So you’re like the alpha male or something?”

The girl smirked wetting her lips, and her smile was cute and probably alluring but she was not the person Gabriel wanted to see smile like that. He laughed.

“That thing of alpha males in humans is nothing but bullshit, leaders are leaders because of the way they move the people around them, not the amount of testosterone they have.”

With that he finished leashing the last dog and stood up, getting ready to go back to the shelter. 

“Can I pet them?”

“Ask Lightning, he’s the only one that allows to be pet by strangers from time to time.”

Gabriel had to show her how to ask for permission but she eventually managed to be allowed by Lightning to be pet.

“I’m Stacey by the way.” The girl stretched out her palm.

“Gabriel, nice to meet you.”

“So uh, you come here often? To walk the dogs I mean.” Stacey blushed and looked at Gabriel almost hopeful.

Gabriel smirked. At this point it was obvious the girl was pulling the moves on him and yet he still didn’t feel like reciprocating. He didn’t understand why this was happening at all but he knew it was best to follow his heart and not his restless mind.

“We don’t come everyday but we do come often, we might crash into each other pretty easily. You can always go visit Lightning at the shelter if you really want to see him though.”

Like this, Stacey was added to Gabriel’s routine, or rather, she added herself. It was obvious she was looking for something more but at the same time she never went pass batting eyelashes and wetting lips so it was hard for Gabriel to tell her straightforward that he was not interested in starting a relationship, especially because he actually liked her company, she was a nice person leaving the flirting aside. He still did his best to be friendly without teasing which in and of itself was quite a feat for someone like him. Four days before Dean’s birthday, he left his job for the day and walked to the tiny library at the town square. Already asking for the book in advance, all he had to do was pick it up. Stacey met him on the way and they were chatting inside when a voice he only knew too well called him from behind.

“Gabe?”

“...Dean? What are you doing here?”

“Me? What are you doing here? I hadn’t seen you around for weeks I was worried about you!”

“You were... worried about me?” 

“Yes!”

Gabriel felt his heart swell. He flushed and looked down meekly.

“...Sorry”

Dean sighed, the least thing he wanted to do was make a scene in the middle of the library, he had come to this town to buy some random stuff he couldn’t find at their own when he saw Gabriel entering the bookstore.

“It’s okay man, I just… I wish you would talk to me more. Just that.”

Gabriel looked at Dean for a moment and smiled brightly. “I will Dean, thanks.”

This time it was Dean’s time to blush and look aside. He grabbed a random book and tried to look at it with some sort of interest.

“So uh, what are you doing here?”

“I’m buying a book.”

“You’re… buying a book?”

“Look, I know what you’re thinking but there’s a reason I’m doing things this way, okay?”

Dean lifted his hands in peace. “Alright, I won’t ask.”

Gabriel chuckled and then he heard a small cough behind them. “Oh, right, I forgot. This is Stacey, a friend I made here. This is Dean.”

“Hey.” Stacey was smiling while holding Dean’s hand but her gaze was stiff and a bit angry. 

“Stacey” Dean nodded at her wondering for a second what he had done to her in order to receive that look.

“Are you going back home?”

“Yeah, I need to buy some parts for the new shelf first. If you’re not done, Baby’s over there.” Dean pointed outside the bookstore and signaled the car.

“Okie dokie, I’ll see you there.”

Dean smiled at Gabriel and then nodded at Stacey who was now blatantly glaring at him. It would have been a lie to say Dean didn’t pace up faster than normal out of the place.

“So… Who was that?”

“Who? Dean?” Gabriel, close to say he was just a friend, realized he could possibly use this situation to get rid of Stacey’s advances without the need of a scene. “We live together.” 

Gabriel beamed at her while the attendant finally arrived with his book. Swiftly, Gabriel paid for the purchase and moved on to a different topic with Stacey, who was looking kind of disheartened but didn’t say anything else about the issue.

Gabriel bid Stacey goodbye after getting a coffee for each of them and one for Dean, who arrived soon after full of material.

“Want a hand?”

“Yes! Jacket, right pocket.” Grunted Dean under the weight of the metal pieces.

Placing the coffees over the roof, Gabriel fished in for the keys and opened the trunk for Dean, helping him put everything neatly in it. Jumping in the car, he passed Dean his drink. He accepted it but grimaced after the first sip.

“Dammit Gabe! This thing’s pure diabetes!”

Gabriel, drinking from his cup, grimaced as well. 

“Ugh, I think I switched our drinks.” 

They exchanged cups and sipped from their corresponding drinks when Dean snorted.

“What?”

“Nothing it’s just… Dude you’re an archangel! How did you even manage to forget which cup held what drink?”

Gabriel punched him playfully while Dean barked out loud. After he calmed down he sighed. There was something bothering him and he couldn’t leave it behind.

“So...” 

“So?”

“Stacey, huh?”

“What about her?”

“Pretty possessive to my taste. Is she any good?”

“How would I know? I don’t bed her.”

Dean turned in surprise.

“You don’t?”

“No, she’s just a friend.”

“How did you even become friends?”

“Oh, there’s a dog shelter in this town, I work part time walking them. Some of the poor things need someone that understands them.”

Dean looked at Gabriel with a bit of apprehension but bit back what he really wanted to say. 

“So this is where you’ve been all this time?”

“Yep”

“Oh, okay”

“Why?”

“Nothing… I’m glad you’re doing something you like Gabe.”

Gabriel fidgeted with his hands. 

“Thanks.”

Dean’s birthday finally arrived. Sam took him out with the rest of them all to a burger and ribs joint they both loved. Incredibly, Castiel drove on the way back. Gabriel had forced some Asgardian mead shots on both of the guys as a dare and they both had royally failed the task of staying sober, which was saying a lot about the power of the liquid. On their way back Sam, who had been relegated to the backseat along with Gabriel, fell over the archangel and hugged him. 

“Uh… Sam? You okay?”

“M’fine, wanna cuddles.”

“Ooookay?” 

Gabriel chuckled surrounding the hunter, patting him testily on the head. Dean turned to frown at them, an arm resting tightly on the seat while he steadied himself.

“Hey, Hey! No cuddles!”

Sam glared at Dean and held Gabriel tighter.

“S’mine now!”

“Oh s’at it? Hey Cas, gimme a kiss then!”

“What? NO!”

Sam let go of Gabriel and wobbled forward to hold Castiel who was only able to keep the car steady thanks to his angelic strength.

“Cas’ mine!”

“Then leave Gabriel alone!”

Sam showed Dean his tongue. Gabriel began to snort and soon after was laughing out loud, followed by Castiel’s far quieter snickers. They had never seen the boys like this and it was hilarious. Soon enough they arrived home and Gabriel, who had been hoggled by Sam once more after Dean drifted asleep halfways, had to wait until Castiel opened the back seat and grabbed Sam, effortlessly helping him out of the car.

“Come on Sam, we’ve arrived.”

Sam, resting his larger frame over Castiel held him tight, brushing his fingers through his hair, nuzzling him and humming, making him squirm nervously.

“Thanks Cas, for everything… You’re the best. I love you. I love you so so much...”

Castiel surrounded him with an arm to give him some stability.

“...I love you too Sam.”

Gabriel meanwhile was at the car’s shotgun shaking Dean softly to wake him up.

“Come on Dean, I’m not gonna kiss you awake...”

Dean shuffled and grunted annoyed.

“...shame”

Gabriel stopped the shaking for a second but quickly returned to his actions, frantically waving aside the sudden burst of butterflies in the stomach he felt. 

“Come on Dean...”

Finally Dean woke up enough and stumbled out of the car, falling on Gabriel’s strong hands.

“Whoa, easy there, gimme some dinner first.”

Gabriel chuckled. “We just came from dinner.”

Dean looked at Gabriel and went closer, sliding a hand around his neck until it rested on his nape.

“Then maybe we should get dessert.”

If Gabriel had been a bit less mindful these days, he would have definitely taken Dean’s advances and thrown him at the nearest bed but right now and despite the hardening he was feeling the first thing that came to his mind was ‘Dean is drunk’ and, being an angel, he couldn’t bring himself to take his words as consent looking at how difficult it was for him to stand still. Sighing and hating himself he took Dean by the waist and began to lead him to his room.

“Maybe we should get to the bedroom first.”

Dean laughed “I knew you liked me.”

“...I do”

When they reached Dean’s room, he got distracted by a neatly wrapped thing over his pillow. He took it and unwrapped it curious until the book and its cover were on sight. He looked at it for a second, his foggy brain connecting the dots and sat on the bed. He looked up at Gabriel.

“Is this...”

Gabriel fidgeted on his feet.

“Sam told me you lost it once.”

Dean took in the title and caressed the book. It was definitely not the same book, this book was not old and used but brand new and the cover was just the title in huge letters with half toned surreal figures behind as background unlike the one he used to have with an image of a man standing by a tree but the moment he opened it up and began to read the first lines it was like meeting an old friend once more. He closed it quickly, afraid that he might lose the tears starting to form in his eyes. Trying to gulp down the lump in his throat he turned his attention to Gabriel.

“Thanks Gabe. I love it.”

Gabriel beamed at Dean who suddenly yawned. Snickering, Gabriel went to grab Dean’s robe and threw it at him. 

“...I think you need some sleep Dean-o.” 

Dean grunted but began to pull off his jacket. “I don’t need sleep”

“‘Course you do Big Boy, besides, I’d rather have you at full to enjoy the night than have you fall asleep in the middle of the deed.”

“...rain check?”

“Sure, why not?”

Gabriel’s heart clenched, he knew there was a big chance he wouldn’t remember a thing the next day. After all, Dean was still pretty drunk despite his somewhat sober act, which he believed the hunter had been able to polish throughout years of practice.

And just like that, after seeing Dean into his bed, he stepped away from the room and walked to the Dean-cave, throwing himself at the couch with a sigh. Soon enough, Castiel came in, clothes and hair all ruffled up, tie missing, and joined him. Dropping onto the other side of the couch clearly frustrated.

“And here I thought at least one of us would get lucky tonight.”

Castiel glared tiredly and turned back to the architecture program. “...I could never take advantage of him.”

Gabriel appeared two glasses of Asgardian mead and gave one to Castiel who took it without objections. 

“Cheers to that.”

Gabriel kept his glass up until Castiel clinked his own.

“Cheers to that.”

They watched the show in silence, enjoying their drinks for the rest of the night.

The following day, Sam came into the kitchen groaning, holding his head, the noise of the spatula scratching the pan and the scent of fried bacon and eggs killing him.

“Mornin’ Princess!”

“Dammit Dean, how can you even function after yesterday’s—” he looked at the table where Castiel was already standing up and approaching.

“Here.” Pressing his fingers on Sam’s temple, he wiped all the hangover effects from Sam’s system. 

“Oh god, thank you so much Cas.” 

“Not gonna tell him you love him now?”

Sam jumped, Gabriel was standing behind him, waiting for the hunter to move away from the entrance.

“What?”

“I asked if you’re not gonna tell him you love him now.”

Sam went three shades of red. “I… I didn’t..!” And then he turned back at Castiel “...did I?”

“Oh you totally did. Couldn’t even wait to get to your room to start taking his coat off.”

Sam looked appalled below Gabriel’s mischievous grin.

“I would never—!” he turned towards Castiel “Look, Cas, I’m sorry. If I had been on my senses I swear to G—”

Castiel’s eyes went somber “I know Sam!” Castiel’s snap made Sam jump “I know you would never try something like that with me! You don’t have to apologize for something you’d hate yourself for doing in your full senses.”

Castiel stormed away from the kitchen in the middle of the silence that was only cut away by the sizzling of the bacon in the pan. Slowly, Gabriel tore his eyes from the hallway where Castiel had disappeared into and back to Sam.

“Sam Winchester, you have ten seconds to reach my brother and properly apologize for doing that or Father help me I’ll smite you even if that means Dean hunting my sorry ass for the rest of my eternal life.”

Sam, finally snapping from the scene that he had been part of didn’t wait any longer and rushed past Gabriel, calling for Castiel. 

Gabriel leant on the doorway pressing his forehead with a hand. A soft chink over the stove told him Dean had just taken things off the pan and onto his plate. Another click, the fire being put out. Dean sighed and approached the table with his food. 

“Well… that definitely didn’t go out the way I thought it would.”

Gabriel barked out a dry laugh. “You tell me, I’m just glad we never made a bet about it ‘cause the both of us would have lost it fair and square.” He sat in front of Dean and deflated over the table. “...do you think they’ll be alright?”

“Them?” Dean waved the question off as if it was nothing. “They’ll get over it. I mean come on, look at them! They’re made for each other! Pair of stupid bookworm dorks.”

Gabriel snickered. “Yeah, I guess...” His eyes forlorn over the hallway entrance.

Dean unashamedly took the chance to look at Gabriel and study his features, blushing for a moment when he reached the other’s lips. Finally, he coughed to get his attention back.

“So.”

“So?”

“So I don’t really want to be around when these two snap out of their stupid denseness… And I remember I owe someone some really good times.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened while a sudden nervousness took home on his stomach. 

“You remember it all?”

Dean nodded with confidence but Gabriel clearly saw his neck turning a soft shade of pink.

“...Did you really mean it when you said you’d give me a rain check?”

“Did _you_ really mean it when you said you liked me?”

Gabriel suddenly realized this thing he was starting with Dean was far more important than what he thought it would be at first. He looked directly at Dean. 

“I did. I do. I like you Dean.”

Dean’s eyes widened, he blushed a little and then he smiled.

“I like you too.”

It took Gabriel more than enough time to finally decide that since angels didn’t sleep he didn’t need to pinch his arm to see if this was real but the elation he felt inside was definitely far from normal. The sound of a door slammed shut startled both men for a moment. Gabriel turned to look at Dean, a smirk forming on his lips. 

“Seems like they’ll be settling up their problems in a very creative way~”

“Oh god, don’t even make me imagine what on earth those two are up to right now.”

Gabriel cackled and sent Dean a mischievous glance. 

“...Wanna hit the road?”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

**Author's Note:**

> _In case you're wondering, the book I'm referring in the story is American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I read it a couple years ago and recently went back to it. I barely remember the end so that part is just a general inference from what memory recalls but I think that somehow it fit the theme of the prompt._


End file.
